Catawba Rallies Past Wingate with Huge Final Quarter

SALISBURY, NC -- Catawba scored 17 of its 18 goals after intermission to take a come-from-behind 18-13 victory over Wingate in the opening round of the Deep South Conference Lacrosse Tournament on Tuesday night at Shuford Stadium and Kirkland Field. The Catawba Indians improve to 7-6 and advance to face the North's top-seeded team, Lenoir-Rhyne, on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. The Bulldogs conclude their 2013 season at 2-13.

Wingate led 6-1 at halftime, thanks to back-to-back Jack Womble (Cary, NC) goals in the final 54 seconds of the second quarter. Derek Watts (Winston-Salem, NC) assisted on both Womble tallies. Watts started Wingate's second quarter scoring at the 2:13 mark, firing a missile into the upper corner on an assist from his brother, Chase Watts (Winston-Salem, N.C.).

Catawba scored its only first-half goal to open the second stanza on a tally by Zach LaFavre (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth HS) with 11:06 left. Catawba outshot Wingate 20-16 in the opening half. The Bulldogs blanked the Indians 3-0 in the opening frame.

The Indians pulled within 8-5 with 4:27 to go in the third quarter as Adam Hebert (Charlotte, NC/Charlotte Catholic HS) capped a three-goal spurt by Catawba. Wingate responded on goals from Ryan Vogrig (Vancouver, BC, CANADA) and Jackson Bunn (Wilmington, NC) for a 10-5 lead late in the quarter.

Steven Ridolfo (Charlotte, NC/Providence HS/Gettysburg) got a goal with just 28 seconds left in the third quarter for Catawba then opened the fourth frame with another tally. Those goals started a run of six unanswered goals for the Indians that was capped by Hebert at the 10:11 mark to put Catawba on top for the first time at 11-10.

Vogrig scored a man-up goal to tie the game 11-11 with 8:47 to play, but Hebert tallied the game-winner two minutes later (6:24). Hebert's goal started a game-ending 7-2 run for the hosts. Daniel Rew (Forest Hill, MD/Bel Air HS) and Hebert scored twice in the waning moments.

Hebert led the Indians with four goals, while Rew had three goals and two assists while winning 12 face-offs for the hosts. Vogrig led the Bulldogs with four goals, while Derek Watts led both teams with five assists.